Rating: 
Summary: A Hawk for Hire Novel (with his loyal sidekick Spenser)
Review: "Double Deuce" is the Spenser novel where our hero finally plays the supporting role to Hawk. A drive-by shooting in the Double Deuce project has claimed the life of 15-year old Devona Jefferson and her baby. Hawk is hired by the tenants association to find the killer and drive out the gang that considers the place their turf. Spenser signs on, at one-third of the nothing Hawk is being paid, to help out. Since Hawk is in the lead on this one the question of why he is doing this becomes a major subplot. At face value it seems he is doing it for a woman who just might be his Susan Silverman, but of course nothing can be taken at face value in a Spenser novel and expectations are rarely met. Since this is the 19th novel in Robert B. Parker's series of Spenser novels, it is certainly about time that Hawk had a chance to take the lead. Of course this means that "Double Deuce" has a much different feel to it because whereas our hero takes every opportunity to mouth off to everybody on anything, Hawk's strength is in just looking at people until they fall apart (one of the reasons I think the character worked so well on television is that Avery Brooks had the looks down cold). So while this is the most atypical Spenser novel yet, it does try to be true to the Hawk character, which justifies the stylistic change. I just think that he works better as more of a man of mystery where we never really know why he does what he does. Hopefully Parker will take a second try at having Hawk be the main character in a future novel.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Mystery Novel
Review: A fourteen-year old girl, named Devona, and her three-month old daughter, Crystal, were shot and murdered in a drive-by shooting outside of a project housing called "Double Deuce". Police Detective Hawk asked Police Detective Spenser to help him investigate. While it is obvious that the murders were gang-related, it is the jobs of Hawk and Spenser to drive out the gang, The Hobarts, out of Double Deuce. Throughout their steakout, they are sometimes accompanied by a news reporter named Jackie, whose relationship with Hawk is a bit unclear. As for Spenser's love life, he struggles with his now live-in girlfriend, Susan. Through it all, Hawk and Spenser learn more about themselves than expected. I enjoyed this book because there was so much real dialogue. The things that were said by Hawk,Spenser, and the gang members is much like the slang that is used in the real world. I also enjoyed it because the author showed a great contrast between the lives of those living in Double Deuce, and the life of Spenser. Robert Parker showed how Spenser went from staying in the ghetto during the day, to living a very comfortable life at home with his girlfriend, Susan, and their dog, Pearl. The chapters were short and to the point. It made me interested in what was going to happen in the chapters ahead. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery novel. Though it does not keep you guessing, it does keep you wanting to learn more.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Mystery Novel
Review: A fourteen-year old girl, named Devona, and her three-month old daughter, Crystal, were shot and murdered in a drive-by shooting outside of a project housing called "Double Deuce". Police Detective Hawk asked Police Detective Spenser to help him investigate. While it is obvious that the murders were gang-related, it is the jobs of Hawk and Spenser to drive out the gang, The Hobarts, out of Double Deuce. Throughout their steakout, they are sometimes accompanied by a news reporter named Jackie, whose relationship with Hawk is a bit unclear. As for Spenser's love life, he struggles with his now live-in girlfriend, Susan. Through it all, Hawk and Spenser learn more about themselves than expected. I enjoyed this book because there was so much real dialogue. The things that were said by Hawk,Spenser, and the gang members is much like the slang that is used in the real world. I also enjoyed it because the author showed a great contrast between the lives of those living in Double Deuce, and the life of Spenser. Robert Parker showed how Spenser went from staying in the ghetto during the day, to living a very comfortable life at home with his girlfriend, Susan, and their dog, Pearl. The chapters were short and to the point. It made me interested in what was going to happen in the chapters ahead. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery novel. Though it does not keep you guessing, it does keep you wanting to learn more.
Rating: 
Summary: Parker rolls snake eyes
Review: Appropriate to the title, Duece is only a 2 star effort. The story focuses on Hawk, in a battle against gang bangers on Hobart street. Spenser and Hawk solve a murder after the police failed to put enough resources onto the problem. Hawk's character flaws surface, as Spenser and Susan mull over his future potential. I found it sad and pathetic to think of Hawk as merely a gang banger gone legitimate. Parker alternates chapters between the gloom of the ghetto and scenes with Spenser and Susan sipping champagne. This contrast in day/night lifestyle for our hero was getting a bit boring after a couple of dozen chapters. Overall, this book had very little action, not much mystery, and left me without much of a good feeling. It appeared Parker was just going through the motions of writing another Spenser formula book.
Rating: 
Summary: interesting social commentary
Review: Double Deuce is primarily named after the low-income housing project at which some of the action in the story takes place. But it also describes the plot structure of the book. Two plots, each involving pairs. On one side, a double homicide. On the other, a contrast of two relationships. Both of these plots are rich in social commentary, clearly the focus of this book. Content in works of the Spenser genre can be largely partitioned into mystery and suspense. The former is uncertainty over what happened, while the latter is uncertainty over what will happen. Double Deuce, however, is rather lacking in both. As in Playmates, a book which precedes this one by several years, Parker uses the work to take a look at issues of the black community. Double Deuce is the more successful of the two. Parker's views on the subject are certainly worth the reading, even if it isn't a classic of social commentary.
Rating: 
Summary: Spenser is back
Review: Much better than the last four entries in the Spenser series. Exciting with a more believable story line, Parker delivers.
Rating:
Summary: Perceptive look at ghetto gangs
Review: Parker has succeeded in writing crime thrillers that are entertaining and fast reads and yet give you issues to think about. "Double Deuce" is no exception, and this time, the issues are racial relations and gang psychology. This novel has a more intense than usual opening for Spenser, because we get to sorta know the young girl and her baby daughter just before they're killed, and to have a feeling of the life they were leading. From there, as other reviews have pointed out, Hawk is the principal character this time, though Spenser does provide him with valuable information just before the climax. And hey, Hawk is involved in a relationship too, as if trying to clear a housing project in the ghetto of a gang isn't enough. The romantic side plot this time takes up the question as to whether Spenser & Susan should be living together or not. Especially good here is the portrayal of the attitude of the project residents and the activist preacher helping them towards Spencer. Also good is the portrayal of the grudging mutual respect between Hawk and the gang leader. On top of that, we're given an idea of how Hawk, in his own way, rose above his childhood beginnings.
Rating:
Summary: Perceptive look at ghetto gangs
Review: Parker has succeeded in writing crime thrillers that are entertaining and fast reads and yet give you issues to think about. "Double Deuce" is no exception, and this time, the issues are racial relations and gang psychology. This novel has a more intense than usual opening for Spenser, because we get to sorta know the young girl and her baby daughter just before they're killed, and to have a feeling of the life they were leading. From there, as other reviews have pointed out, Hawk is the principal character this time, though Spenser does provide him with valuable information just before the climax. And hey, Hawk is involved in a relationship too, as if trying to clear a housing project in the ghetto of a gang isn't enough. The romantic side plot this time takes up the question as to whether Spenser & Susan should be living together or not. Especially good here is the portrayal of the attitude of the project residents and the activist preacher helping them towards Spencer. Also good is the portrayal of the grudging mutual respect between Hawk and the gang leader. On top of that, we're given an idea of how Hawk, in his own way, rose above his childhood beginnings.
Rating:
Summary: I honestly don't know what the other reviewers want
Review: Parker likes to change up the Spenser series. He gets stuck in a formula just chugging along in Boston, and likes to mix it up every few novels. He writes a basic Spenser novel, and they complain hes just going through the motions. If he writes something different they complain he should stick to what he writes best. Give me a break!
Here's why you should read Double Deuce. The classic stand off. Yes, we get to learn alot more about Hawk, but not too much as to deflate the mystery about the caracter. But the boasting that goes on between Hawk and the Gangs is interesting.
There isnt alot of mystery in this one, some of the Spenser novels arent so much a who-done-it but more of a how-will-you-resolve-it kind of book. I've read this book many times, there are better in the series, but if your reading them in order, don't skip this one!
Rating:
Summary: Hawk Takes the Lead
Review: This Spenser episode features a despairingly growing problem of gang violence in the big city ghettoes. The book opens with the shooting murder of a 14-year-old girl and her baby daughter, the victims of a drive-by attack. From this incident the local black community have said enough's enough and asks Hawk for help and, in turn, Hawk asks Spenser to join him. Their mission is to drive the local gang from the project they have been terrorising. This project is known to the locals as Double Deuce. To achieve their goal, Hawk and Spenser devise one of their brilliant plans which is rather reminiscent of poking an ant nest with a stick to see what happens. I thought this was a case of a great opportunity that just wasn't fulfilled to it's potential. We got to know Hawk a lot better in this book due to the much larger role he plays in the job, and this was a terrific treat. Unfortunately, a good proportion of the book degenerates into a posturing standoff between Hawk and the gang leader as they tried to prove who was the tougher man. That being said, any Spenser book is an enjoyable read thanks to the snappy dialogue delivered with a wry sense of humour. The banter between Spenser and Hawk is always one of the highlights of a Spenser story. Once again, I enjoyed the comfort of disappearing into Spenser's world, even if I was a little let down by a few aspects.
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